Universal power control of brushless doubly-fed reluctance generators for wind energy conversion

This paper presents a novel sensorless vector control approach for wind power applications of brushless doubly fed reluctance generators (BDFRGs), developed to operate entirely independent of machine parameters. The method employs a model reference adaptive system (MRAS) with dynamic inductance ratio estimation to determine rotor speed and position with unmatched accuracy compared to existing MRAS-based solutions, thereby enabling effective and decoupled regulation of both active and reactive power via the grid-connected winding, without reliance on a vulnerable shaft-mounted rotor position sensor. A notable advantage of the proposed control technique is its universal applicability to various BDFRG configurations and ratings, removing the need for pre-identified parameters or cumbersome offline characterisation. The controller’s ability to accurately track maximum power points and effectively reject disturbances across the base speed operating region has been demonstrated through extensive real-time simulations and hardware-in-the-loop testing, using MW-scale wind turbine models and a high-performance dSPACE® system for control development and validation. • Novel encoderless control method developed for BDFRGs in wind energy applications. • Rotor position and speed estimated using a Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS). • Control scheme is entirely independent of machine parameters or offline testing. • Decoupled active and reactive power control enabled via grid-connected winding. • Real-time parameter estimation makes the controller applicable to various BDFRGs.